Gate-operating mechanism.



G. S. GRAVES.

GATE OPERATING MECHANISMr APPLICATION FILED sEPT.25. I911.

1,266,250. Patented Mayl l, 1918.

2 SHEEIS-SHEEI l.

G. S. GRAVES.

GATE OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLlCATlON FILED SEPT.25. 1917. 1,266,250. Patented May14,1918.

2 SHEETSSHEE1' 2.

gwvencoz G. 5- Gran es.

GEORGE S. GRAVES, OF DALLAS, SOUTH DAKOTA.

GATE-OPERATIN G MECHANISM.

Application filed September 25, 1917.

To all "whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. GRAVES, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Dallas, in the county of Gregory andState of South Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the novel mounting of gates, or like horizontally swinging devices and the provision of operating means, whereby the gate or like part may be released and swung by one movement of a single elen'ient, the parts being of such structure and arrangement as to admit of the gate being operated by hand freely in the usual manner, while at the same time preventing the gate from being opened by stock lifting the latch end thereof.

The invention resides in the gate mountings and the gate operating means which may be provided so as to be applied to any type or style of gate in use, or desired to be adopted.

The drawings illustrate an adaptation of the invention in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of a gate provided with operating means constructed in accordance with the invention Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1, the dotted lines indicating the position of the gate when elevated at its latch end to release the same.

F 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the full lines showing the normal position of the gate and the dotted lines indicating the position of the gate when released at its latch end;

Fig. i is a detail view showing the parts on a larger scale; and I Fig. 5 is a detail peispective view of the latch, catch and coordinate parts.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the drawing by like reference characters.

The gate 1 may be of any design, make or construction, and is typical of the part for which the invention is designed. The gate is mounted to swing horizontally and is adapted to be secured in any one of three positions, that is, when closed or when swung to either side from a closed position. Catches 2 are provided for securing the gate in the required adjusted position.v The catches 2 are of like formation and one is disposed in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Serial No. 193,140.

line with the gate opening and opposite the post or part to which the gate is hinged and a catch is arranged at each side of the gate opening to cooperate with the latch and hold the gate open when swung to one side or the other.

A latch 3 is located at the free end of the gate and may be of any construction adapted to be operated by hand. The latch illustrated is of the spring type and is secured in any manner at its lower end to the gate and its upper end passes through an elongated eye or slotted plate Intermediate of its ends, the latch 3'is formed with an oflset 5 which is adapted to clear thecatch 2 when the free end of the gate is elevated a predetermined distance. When the gate is operated in the usual manner, the upper end of the latch 3 is pressed toward the gate thereby disengaging the latch from the catch 2 and admitting of the gate being swung upon either to the right or to the left, as may be required. When the gate is operated by means of the mechanism, it is essential to lift the free end of the gate a distance to cause the offset portion 5 of the latch 3 to clear the catch 2 when the gate will swing open or closed, as may be required.

The gate is hinged to a post 6, or like support, by means of upper and lower connections. The lower hinge connection comprises an eye 7 and a hook bolt 8, the latter being adjustably connected with the gate and the hook or bent end of the bolt constituting the pintle and passing through the eye 7. The upper hinge connection consists of a hook bolt 9 which is adjustably connected with the gate and a rotary member 10, the latter being mounted so that its axis is in substantially a vertical line with the pintle or axis of the lower hinge connection. The hook or bent end of the hook bolt 9 is mounted loosely in the rotary member 10, so as to turn freely therein and admit of the gate swinging independently of the member 10. The member 10 constitutes essentially a part of the gate operating mechanism and is required to be rotated when it is desired to swing the gate by means of the actuating mechanism. lVhen the gate is operated by hand inthe usual manner, it swings about an aXis corresponding with the loose connection between the bent end of the element 9 with themember 10 and the bent end of the element 8 with the eye 7.

The gate operating mechanism comprises a frame embodying an upper arm 11, a lower arm 12, and a connection 13 joining corresponding ends of the arms 11 and 12. These several parts may be of any formation. As shown, the arm 11 is longer than the arm 12, and is spaced therefrom any required distance. A vertical rod 14 passes through the arms 11 and 12 and constitutes an axis therefor. The lower arm 12 has a member 12- secured thereto which is provided at its outer end with a toothed segment 15 which is in mesh with toothed portion of the rotary member 10 so that upon turning the frame about its axis 14, a corresponding rotary movement is imparted to the rotary member 10, with the result that the gate is first released and then caused to swing from one position to another, according to the movement of the frame.

For swinging the gate operating frame, a rod or like part is connected at one end to the outer end of the arm 11, and this connection may be adjustable or in any desired way. A Windlass or drum 18 is mounted in a bracket or like support 19, and is adapted to be turned by means of a crank handle 20. A rope cable or like flexible part 21, is wound about the Windlass or drum 1S and its end portions are extended in opposite directions and attached in any manner to opposite end portions of the rod or like part 17. It will thus be understood that rotation of the Windlass or drum 18 in one direction will effect longitudinal movement of the rod 17 in a given direction and rotation of the Windlass or drum 18 in a reverse direction will cause the rod 1'? to move longitudinally in an opposite direction. In this manner, the gate operating frame may be caused to move to the right or to the left, as may be required.

l/Vhen it is required to operate the gate by hand in the usual manner, the same may be actuated by grasping the upper end of the latch 3 and pressing the same toward the gate to disengage it from the catch 2 after which the gate may be swung to the right or to the left. If it be required to operate the gate by means of the actuating mechanism, the operating frame is swung to the right or to the left, as may be required, by operating the crank handle 20. The first movement, when the gate operating frame is swung, is to effect a rotary movement of the member 10, thereby carrying the pintle or bent end of the hook bolt 9 either to the right or to the left in a circular path, with the result that the outer'or swinging end of the gate is lifted, thereby elevating the otiset portion 5 of the latch above the catch Simultaneously with the lifting of the latch end of the nee-spec gate, the inner or hinge end of the gate is inclined from a vertical plane so as to throw the weight of the gate to one side of the normal vertical plane thereof, and the instant the latch 3 clears the catch :2, the gate swings toward that side to which it inclines and the movement is usually sullicient to carry the gate from one catch to the other and cause the latch to engage with the catch and hold the gate in the adjusted position. To return the gate to the first position, it is necessary to operate the crank handle 20 in a reverse direction when the movement just lescribed is repeated, it being understood that the gate, when lifted at its free end, is at the same time inclined toward the first position so as to swing thereto when the latch clears the catch.

When the gate is closed, as indicated by the full lines in Fig. 1, the pintle connection of the member 9 with the member 10 is in line with the gate and the axis of the member 10, thereby forming a lock to prevent lifting oi the latch end of the gate by stock in a manner well understood.

lVhat I claim is:

1. The combination with a gate, of a lower hinge for the same, a pintle carried by the upper portion 01 the gate and located in advance of the pintle of the lower hinge. a rotary gear element having a bearing opening located in advance of the axes 01"- the gear elementand receiving and forming a bearing for the said upper pintle, an oscillatory gear element pivoted in rear of the rotary gear element and meshing with the same, and operating means connected with the oscillatory gear element for swinging the same on its pivot.

The combination with a gate, a lower hinge for the same, a pintle carried by the said upper portion of the gate and located in advance of the pintle'of the lower hinge, a rotary gear element having a bearing opening located in advance of the axes of the rotary gear element and receiving and forming a bearing for the said upper pintle, an oscillatory gear element having a vertical pivot and located in rear of the rotary gear element and meshing with the same, an approximately L-shaped arm composed of vertical and horizontal portions, the vertical portion being secured to the oscillatory gear element at the back thereoi and the horizontal portion being mounted on and extending in advance of the said pivot and operating means with the forwardly extending portion of the said arm.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature GEORGE S. GRAVES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 33. C. 

